Animated sign



Aug. '6, 1957 R. PABST ET AL ANIMATED SIGN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 5. 1953 1N NTO' Papal; .P/iff; R5 @aal-Prinz amai/5a:

BY y. A. z2.

6, 1957 l R. PABsT Erm. 2,891,484

- ANIMATED SIGN Filed Jan. 5, 1953 2 sneetg-Shee'f 2 NIINUHIE IIIMIIIHIW G @11D @Qi r I L/' J7 HTTOP/VM United States Patent() ANIMATED SIGN Rudolf Pabst, Atherton, and Robert Earl Van Briggle, San Carlos, Calif.; said Pabst assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Prism Signs Inc.

Application January 5, 1953, Serial No. 329,606

1 Claim. (Cl. 40-133) Y This invention relates to an advertising device, particularly a device of the'type including a stencil backed by a source `of light to display indicia having advertising significance.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an advertising device of the above general type, wherein there is a prismatic system disposed between the source of light and the stencil, and means for moving at least part of the light generating means or the prismatic system to cause the lig-ht rays t-o variously strike the prismatic system and therefore to be variously retracted thereby, so that light passing through the light transmitting portions of the stencil has a high degree of animation which will readily attract and hold the attention of the public.

Another object of t-he present invention is to provide a device of the above type wherein the light cast upon the prismatic system is of different colors.

Various other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a device embodying the concepts of the present invention, with parts broken away for convenience in illustration.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device disclosed in Fig. 1, showing the device with the top cover removed.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of Fig. l, showing the mechanism for rotating the prismatic members.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged end view of one of the prismatic members, showing the relationship of the various prisms with respect to one another.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal view of one of the prismatic members, also showing the relationship of the different prisms to one another.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, there is disclosed an advertsing device, embodying the concepts of the present invention, including a casing or housing 7 having sides 9, a bottom 11 and a top cover 13. The front of the housing comprises a screen or stencil 15 having light transmitting portions 15a which have advertising significance to the public. Stencil 15 is mounted within flanges 9a provided by sides 9. In the particular embodiment of the invention disclosed, the stencil has a single letter forming the light transmitting portions 15a thereof, it being contemplated that a plurality of these boxes will be arranged in contiguous relationship to spell out a single word or several words. Obviously, the invention is not limited to a box having a stencil displaying a single letter, since obviously an entire message or other indicia such as representations of articles, etc. could be displayed on the stencil of a single box.

As far as the construction ofthe stencil is disclosed it may take various forms. For instance in the particular construction shown the screen or stencil 15 comprises a Patented Aug. 6, 1957 colored translucent plate having transparent portions 15a through which light passes more readily than through the translucent portions. The stencil may comprise an opaque plate having transparent portions 15a or it may comprise an opaque plate in which the portions 15a are openings through the stencil and on the other hand it may comprise a translucent plate in which the portions 15a are openings. ln any of the constructions it is apparent that the portions 15a are displayed in a different fashion from the surrounding area so as to display a message having advertising significance.

The rear of housing 7 is defined by rear portions 17 and 19 connected together at approximately right angles to one another and connected to the sides 9 at approximately 45 to said sides. Back sections 17 and 19 are provided with flanges 17a and 19a, respectively, to support mirrors 21 and 23, respectively, from said back sections.

Extending'vertically of the casing 7 is an elongated light source 25, preferably an elongated incandescent lamp, which functions to emit light 360 therearound, so that light rays are directed toward mirrors 21 and 23 and also directed toward the rear of stencil 15. Because light rays strike each mirror at different angles, these rays are reflected not `only toward the stencil but also toward the opposed mirror, the end result being that light is directed approximately uniformly toward the rear of stencil plate 15.

Preferably there is provided around light source 25 a colored transparent cylinder 27, so that the light emitted by the light source takes on the color of the transparent cylinder. Also, the preferable construction includes a colored transparent sheet 29 provided in front of mirror 21, but no sheet provided in front of mirror 23. The transparent elements are of dilerent colors and hence the light reilected from mirror 21 has a different color than that reflected from mirror 23.

Vertically disposed within the casing are two rows of elongated prismatic light refracting members 31 having their lower ends journaled in bearings 11a mounted on bottom 11, and their upper ends journaled in a bearing plate 32 fixed to sides 9 of the casing. As is apparent from Figs. 2 and 3, the refracting members are arranged in staggered relationship in a manner and are of such dimensions that light rays directed toward the rear of stencil 15 cannot pass unrefracted through the prismatic sysem or curtain. Therefore, an observer viewing the front face of the stencil sees only light which is refracted by the prismatic curtain.

Each of the prismatic members comprises a plurality of axially aligned prisms arranged in spiral echelon relation, see Figs. 4 and 5. That is, the prisms are arranged in axial alignment and are progressively angularly oilset, so that if the length of the refracting member and the amount of angular olfset of the prisms is suicient, there will be a pattern repeat. In the particular instance shown, the first and sixth prisms in Fig. 5 are in identical positions. The prisms shown have three sides, and since there is a repeat of the pattern for every tive prisms, adjacent prisms are angularly offset 24. The particular repeat pattern and the particular magnitude of angular offset are obviously not intended to limit the invention. Prisms 33 may be made of glass, but preferably are made of plastic, the latter construction being less expensive.

Prismatic members 31 are rotated by a motor 35 mounted in the lower part of casing 7 and driving a belt 37 by means of a pulley 35a mounted on the motor shaft. Belt 37 is trained about pulleys 39 formed on or alixed to the prismatic members adjacent the lower ends thereof. There is an idler pulley 39a arranged to properly lead the belt from the pulley of the most lefthand prismatic member to motor pulley 35a.

In operation, light rays emanating from source 25 are directed toward rotating prismatic members 31 and also toward mirrors 21 and 23, which reect the light toward one another and toward the prismatic members. Due to the movement of the prismatic members, the light rays from light source 25 and mirrors 21 and 23 variously strike the prismatic members so that the light is variously refracted in a highly interesting animated fashion, thus the attention of a person glancing at stencil 15 will be attracted and held by the highly animated character of the letters or other material displayed on the stencil. The fact that the light is colored augments its capability to attract attention.

While We have shown the preferred form of our invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as dened in the appended claim.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

. In an animated sign, a frame, a face plate on the frame having light-transmitting portions, a light source for supplying light to one side of said plate, and lightrefracting means interposed between said light source and said plate, said lght-refracting means comprising a plurality of prism assemblies disposed in side-by-side relationship to form a prism curtain between said lighttransmitting portions of said plate and said light source, each assembly consisting of a plurality of contiguously positioned prisms arranged along an axis and angularly displaced therealong and means supporting each assembly for rotation about its axis; and means for rotating said assemblies whereby, when said assemblies are rotated, beams of light are refracted by each prism and caused to flash recurrently on that part of said plate directly facing the same and said flashing occurs at dilerent times on adjacent parts of said plate which are spaced in the direction of said axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 301,561 Butler July 8, 1884 301,562 Butler July 8, 1884 1,603,938 Dobbins Oct. 19, 1926 2,020,603 Gearhart Nov. 12, 1935 2,199,308 Evans Apr. 30, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 417,428 Great Britain Oct. 4, 1934 

